By Muller Design Co in Fredericksburg, Virginia

Assignment:

This coffeehouse/cafe was one of our favorite build outs of all time! The Grounds Coffeehouse, located in Stafford, Virginia, was a dream business for Deborah Cook, owner, entrepreneur, and veteran. When we met Debbie, she only knew that she wanted to serve the best coffee in her little corner of the world! This is actually one of the ONLY jobs we’ve ever done where the business owner did not have an idea for the look and feel of the business. At the time, she hadn’t even signed a lease yet! After several meetings, all we got was AMAZING coffee and a CLEAN coffeehouse! At the time, most coffeehouses were grungy, edgy, or just plain and comfortable. We knew Debbie deserved different. And the more we talked the more we knew exactly what to do for her.

Style:

With a pristine and detail-oriented client, we pitched a WHITE coffeehouse! But not just plain white. It had to be textured, layered, filled with antiques, and hand done touches. A place that was calming, as opposed to the competition that was very noisy and chaotic. This sets her apart from all other coffeehouses and relates more to her personality.

Wishlist:

Client wanted a beautiful and calm setting to share her commitment to serving the best coffee she could find and serving it the best possible way to her future clientele.

Scope:

Create concept, detailed drawings throughout the space, and behind the line, work with engineer and contractor, oversee build-out, selections and furnishings. We even weighed in on the menu and the the key business elements.

Timeframe:

1 year

Cost:

Overall build out, engineering, design planning, furnishing, and staging to open $100K+

Planning

The planning process for this project was unlike any other commercial project we have ever designed. This client gave our interior design team more room to freely design what we thought would work and look best for the precious coffee shop she envisioned.

Hand-drawn concept sketch of The Grounds Coffeehouse by the Team at Muller Design Co

Before & After

A lot of what made this project so special were the handcrafted design elements. From the front counter and bench seating, to the handmade light fixtures, this entire project was quite the transformation.

Kerrin Muller custom designed a centerpiece type light fixture to go over the back gathering table made of 1800s wood.

Rather wanted to highlight some important places in Stafford. Kelsey Marie was able to take some beautiful images and we helped display them on the gallery wall.

Preparing To Open

Finishing touches before opening day included creating the chalkboard menu, finalizing shelf designs, a ribbon cutting ceremony, and of course a cup of amazing coffee! This was such an amazing day and truly a dream come true for The Cook family!

Sarah Thomas hand created the beautiful new chalkboard menu board.

Opening Day

Debbie Cook and her husband John worked really hard to build a hardworking and enjoyable staff. They shared this special day with them as well.

Within minutes the coffeehouse was flooded with customers!

Holiday Decor

Following the opening we had the privilege to decorate for the holidays! This included lots of greenery and simple white decor to tie in with the rest of the coffeehouse. We aimed to stay true a relaxing coffeehouse, a retreat away from the hustle and bustle.

Testimonial

It is an honor to write this letter of recommendation for Kerrin Muller of Muller Design Company. Our relationship began with Kerrin two years ago when a friend highly recommended her to design our coffeehouse. We are first time small business owners and needed someone to walk with us through this new adventure. Kerrin was the perfect choice!

From our very first meeting, she was able to visualize our project and present us with ideas that moved us quickly to the schematic design phase. Her project management and organizational skills helped to guide us through what can be an overwhelming process. She worked effectively with our consultant at Crimson Cup to ensure our plans would meet the many code requirements of Stafford County. Furthermore, she referred us to an excellent engineering firm which resulted in our final buildout plans. Kerrin was very sensitive to our limited budget and worked to ensure a holistic cost savings for our project.

Kerrin has the ability to transform complex concepts and visions into a design that perfectly reflects the desires of her client. Simply put, it was a privilege to work with her and we wholeheartedly recommend her.

Sincerely,

Deborah Cook Owner

Final Notes and Sources

Thanks to Ceiliume ceiling tile, Brian Newman commercial project manager, and engineer Melissa Columbo.

About the author

Kerrin Muller is an interior designer in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Kerrin is a business owner, a nature lover, and a Rottweiler mom. She lives with her husband and her many petting zoo friends. Kerrin Muller, lead designer of Muller Design Co, has been designing interiors and exteriors for over 20 years. She has designed and project managed hundreds of projects in her career, including cafes, restaurants, bars, commercial build outs, custom built homes, refurbished and remodeled residences, kitchens, baths, landscapes, exteriors, outbuildings and high end custom barns.

You can see her work, her team and case studies of their designs at mullerdesignco.com or connect with her on instagram @mullerdesignco and @kerrin.muller

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